"We're getting better," said Howard, who had 23 points and 18 rebounds. "This is not on anybody's timetable but ours and we have to be patient and understand this is a process. Despite the loss, we did a lot of great things in the second half that we haven't been doing for the past couple of games."

- LA TIMES Source.

Well despite the timetable I really dont know I mean ok its still early and we have december but I want my Lakers to be successful and to now ground themselves good and solid wins so that they at least, get out of the middle slump of the western conference, instead of always falling from row 7 to position number 9 or 10 in the conference. That is just not our ambition!

All on the other things D-12 says I agree. I think it is still a process ,we had 2 coaches in 1,5 months now and new systems and new players so we gotta give it a shot until our superstars comeback and then see how we go on from there!!!

I'm usually not one to believe in moral losses, but I saw a team that never gave up. The surprising part is that I didn't just see that from Kobe, but also from Meeks, Hill, Dwight, Duhon, etc. If it were just Kobe like usual, this comeback would have never happened. I mean if someone were to tell me yesterday that we would only lose one quarter, Kobe would have 35 points and 7 assists, Dwight would have 23 points and 18 boards, and Duhon and Meeks combined for 31 points, I would have thought that we would come out on top. Just not our night.

Someone needs to tell Dwight he's not in the eastern conference anymore where you can win 40 games and still get the 4th seed. Playing with the big boys now where it's going to take 50 wins to even make the playoffs. You already have 11 loses in only 20 games. You want a timetable? You better start winning and NOW!

Did see some positive signs from last night. Oklahoma City shot lights out the entire game essentially. Yet and still the Lakers were able to get back in the game. In the first half I thought we allowed them alot of uncontested shots, but in the second half that wasn't the case. They just hit some really difficult and contested shots. When the Thunder went up 19 I thought they were gonna run the Lakers out of the gym and win by 30 +. Surprisingly the Lakers kept fighting and made a game of it.

Remember when OKC came out on fire in the playoffs last year in game one and blew us out and we were all content saying that we were tired and that they just came out playing a perfect game they wouldn't play again and we'd taken their best punch but at the same time we conceded that loss?

Last night OKC came out the same way and was intending to beat us the same way and gave us their best punch and instead of packing it in we cut the lead down to 4.

This makes the question Kobe asked Durant of if that was "the best they got".

Because in all honesty it was. The Thunder played their best game against us with everything clicking on all cylinders against an undermaned us. And we cut the lead to 4 and didn't pack it in.

Kobe's reminding Durant that if that is the best OKC can do against an undermaned us, then he should be worried. And he's right.

Considering everything that's been against us this year and not having a full lineup as of yet and still learning each other, OKC gave us their best punch last night and could barely put us away. That is an awesome prospect for our team.

Now the most important thing is harnessing that focus and coming out every game with it.

"Bryant had come to rage against the idea that Howard's clownish disposition could overtake the locker room, the Lakers' culture, and had warned Howard that he would never, ever let it happen."

Someone needs to tell Dwight he's not in the eastern conference anymore where you can win 40 games and still get the 4th seed. Playing with the big boys now where it's going to take 50 wins to even make the playoffs. You already have 11 loses in only 20 games. You want a timetable? You better start winning and NOW!

I completely agree. The Lakers need to win 7-8 games in a row ASAP, otherwise they will be stuck in the hunt for the 8th seed all season long. The great teams in the Western Conference rarely lose, so it is time to win at all costs.

I completely agree. The Lakers need to win 7-8 games in a row ASAP, otherwise they will be stuck in the hunt for the 8th seed all season long. The great teams in the Western Conference rarely lose, so it is time to win at all costs.

we'll go on a couple of those runs later in the year. we'll start being the best team in the league in january.. dwight will be closer to 100%(damn close) and nash will be back. this is why none of the lakers are trippin..

im suprised at the end of the game, everyone beside kobe wanted to make the game close or even tie the game. Most of these blow out games, kobe always play with fire THROUGH out the game and tries 10x harder in the final 5 mins. i was happy at meeks and duhan.

Man I promise, I'm so self conscious, That's why you always see me with at least one of my watches - Kanye West

im suprised at the end of the game, everyone beside kobe wanted to make the game close or even tie the game. Most of these blow out games, kobe always play with fire THROUGH out the game and tries 10x harder in the final 5 mins. i was happy at meeks and duhan.

are you freaking serious?

"Bryant had come to rage against the idea that Howard's clownish disposition could overtake the locker room, the Lakers' culture, and had warned Howard that he would never, ever let it happen."

I knew he would be cold in the 2nd half. This guy chucks too much thinks hes a super star. In a 7 game series, Lakers would beat them. Right now.

I do agree the Thunder wouldn't beat us in 4 games but ONLY if we played the way we played last night consistently in terms of focus and converted our easy opportunities. A lot of OKC's fast breaks came off our missed easy layups and when guys fell out of bounds.

"Bryant had come to rage against the idea that Howard's clownish disposition could overtake the locker room, the Lakers' culture, and had warned Howard that he would never, ever let it happen."

Its a good game .. we just happen to lose to the better team.. If we play like this tomorrow and so on, its gonna be a good run ..

OH i forgot, consistently is not in our dictionary. hopefully not yet

Well we've played with this intensity 2 straight games and Kobe says he gets the feeling that the guys like to play hard and with this chip on their shoulder.

I don't mind our team playing like a chip is on their shoulder and to "shut people up" THAT is the kind of team we need, one that plays like they have something to prove. I notice when Dwight starts getting on people along with Kobe and when they get on each other as well the team responds by playing harder.

Edited by Majesty, December 08, 2012 - 11:54 PM.

"Bryant had come to rage against the idea that Howard's clownish disposition could overtake the locker room, the Lakers' culture, and had warned Howard that he would never, ever let it happen."

People are happy with close losses against good teams. It sounds like fans of bad teams to a tee.

The Lakers did some good things in the 2nd half against OKC, but the entire 2nd half was basically garbage time for OKC. I think this game is pretty much the same as a lot of the others. The Lakers showed off some good things, but weren't able to put them together for an entire game.